Packers Gilbert says defense must step it up

The 6-foot-4, 260lbs, 25-year-old undrafted prospect from Arizona had a good training camp and emerged as the team's best pass rusher.

It was somewhat surprising to see both Gilbert and #51 Kyler Fackrell in at outside linebacker on the third drive of the game against the Redskins, instead of Clay Matthews and Nick Perry.

Matthews and Perry replaced Gilbert and Fackrell as the Redskins marched down the field to go up 14 - 0 in the first quarter.

On two plays early in that drive, Redskins veteran running back, Adrian Peterson, 33, bounced out from the center of the line and off right tackle to a wide open space where Gilbert, or someone, should have been there to contain a runner. Just like that Peterson had over 20 yards on just two carries. Add three passing interference calls on the Packers secondary on the same Redskins offensive drive, and a few plays later Peterson was in the end zone on a 2-yard run.

Gilbert says his assignmenta on the two gains by Peterson were to move inside, so it is not clear who missed to keep Peterson from having so much space to work with on his runs off tackle.

This week the Packers face a rookie quarterback, the Buffalo Bills Josh Allen, who can not only throw the ball 75-yards down field without even lifting his feet (as displayed at the Scouting Combine last winter) - he can run too. Or even hurdle players, like he did last week against the Vikings at midfield

Allen says he expects to draw "a spy" on him soon - a defender assigned to follow only him, to prevent big runs up the midde by the quarterback on broken plays.

“I’m not sure what their coach is going to do,” Allen told reporters on Wednesday, “I don’t know if they’re going to tell them to come after me or have one guy sit back. All I know is that if there’s one guy sitting back, it’s better for our offensive line and protection, and it’s better for our guys getting open. We just have more time.”

Allen gets his second start in Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Gilbert says this week the Packers need to step it up against Buffalo.

"As a defense we have a standard that we want to create," said Gilbert.